Sample holder for wrinkler recovery test apparatus



April 21, 1970 H. R. COPELAND E L 3, 0

SAMPLE HOLDER F OR WRINKLER RECOVERY TEST APPARATUS Filed Feb. 4, 1969 INVENTORS HERBERT R COPELAND McLEAN GEORGE ANTHONY R. MARKEZICH ATTORNEY United States Patent U.S. Cl. 73-159 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder used in a wrinkle recovery test has a spring leaf coextensive with a base plate over a distance sufiicient to secure part of a fabric sample under the spring while another part of the sample is folded on top of the spring leaf. The spring leaf also has an index mark and an index hole to position accurately the fabric. A hinge locates the releasable flap on the base plate with the free end of the flap overlapping about one half of the spring leaf. The releasable flap is held closed by a permanent magnet that is movable through a hole in the base plate. Withdrawing the magnet from the hole in the base plate, releases the flap and the flap is then free to regain its uncreased condition.

A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the invention herein described, throughout the world for all purposes of the United States Government, with the power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby granted to the Government of the United States of America.

This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 768,148, filed Oct. 16, 1968.

The wrinkle recovery test for which test the improved sample holder of this invention was developed involves, in essence, a fabric test sample, creased and compressed under controlled conditions of time and load. The sample after creasing, is suspended in a testing device for a controlled recovery period, following which the crease recovery angle is measured with a protractor. The testing device, which device as such is not a part of this invention, comprises a protractor and transparent disc facing therefore, both protractor and facing mounted coaxially on a vertical support so that they are free to rotate about a horizontal axis. The center of the disc-protractor assembly is marked and a vertical guide line is drawn on the support from center to base. The transparent disc is provided with a vernier having a central zero point which point indicates on the protractor the angle formed by the creased fabric sample when the latter is mounted in the test device. The fabric sample itself, while in the device, is held by the holder which is the subject of this invention.

A clamp, which clamp is integral the test device, sup ports the holder and the sample. The integral clamp is provided with a contact means which contact means is adapted to coact with a counterpart contact means carried by the sample holder of the invention. Coaction of the two above-named contact means concomitant with insertion of the sample holder and fabric sample into the test device accomplishes the opening of the magnetic lock on the sample holder, freeing of the release flap on the holder with simultaneous release of one end of the experimentally creased fabric sample for the ultimate measurement of crease angle recovery.

The prior art sample holder consists of two superimposed metal leaves 1.6 cm. wide but of different lengths, the two leaves being fastened together at one end. The linear distance between the free ends of the two leaves is 2.3 cm. The top and shorter leaf is 0.16 mm. thick (i001 mm.) and carries an index line across its top surface 1.8 cm. from and parallel to its free end. A transparent plastic press clip is used in conjunction with the above-described prior art sample holder. The press clip consists of two superimposed leaves of equal length (9.5 cm.) and 2 cm. wide fastened together at one end. A platform made of the same plastic material 2.3 cm. in length and of the same width as the leaves of the press clip is permanently attached to the outer surface of the free end of one leaf (the outer edges of the leaf and platform being flush).

Test samples of fabric are cut 1.5 x 4 cm. in both the warp and filling direction.

The Wrinkle or crease recovery test (ASTM Designation: D1295-60T) is carried out as follows. A fabric test sample is placed between the leaves of the sample holder with one end inserted to a point directly under the 1.8 cm. index mark on the upper shorter leaf. The free end of the fabric sample is then carried back up and over the shorter leaf end to form a loop that will subsequently be the location of the experimental crease. The fabric sample is then secured within the holder with the plastic press clip which is placed over the holder so that the jaw of the clip carrying the platform is outside and parallel to the longer leaf of the metal holder. The flat thick jaw of the press clip is then adjacent the looped over end of the fabric sample. The open end of the clip jaw is then brought into firm contact with the fabric so that the guide line on the short metal leaf, the exposed portion of the fabric sample and the open end of the press clip are aligned. This operation will form a crease in the fabric sample about of an inch from the end of the short metal leaf of the holder about which the fabric sample is looped.

The press clip-sample holder assembly is now inverted on a fiat surface and a 500 gram load is applied to the sample via the platform on the press clip.

After a creasing interval of five minutes, the 500 gram load is removed from the clip platform and the pressholder combination is icked up and inserted into the testing device. The press component of the press-holder is now removed and the experimentally installed crease is lined up with a spot at the center of the testing device disc. The free end of fabric sample (released when the press component is removed as above) is lined up immediately with the vertical guide line on the tester.

The free end of the fabric sample is kept aligned with the vertical guide line of the testing device by manual adjustment every 15 seconds for the first minute and once every minute thereafter. The recovery angle is measured by means of the protractor on the test device after a five minute recovery time. It is plain from the above description that considerable handling of the sample must take place prior to actual measurement of the recovery. It is also plain that use of the prior art press and holder assembly allows for a sizable amount of test operator bias to enter into the overall measuring operation. It is the object of this invention to provide an improved fabric sample holder that incorporates all the functions of the pressholder assembly into a single unit, reduces handling of the fabric sample to a minimum, and virtually excludes the possibilities of test operator bias.

A more comprehensive understanding of both the construction and the operation of the improved sample holder can be obtained by recourse to the accompanying drawing. Referring to the figure, the base plate 1 is a rigid rectilinear non-magnetic piece that supports the remaining components; the spring leaf 2 is located on one face of the base plate, is coextensive therewith over a portion of base plate face and is securely attached thereto at one end with fastening means 3; the unattached end of the spring leaf can be raised away from contact with the base plate for the purpose of inserting a fabric sample swatch between the face of the base plate and the adjacent face of the spring leaf; index line 4 on the exposed face of the spring leaf and index hole 5 which passes through the spring leaf insure the correct positioning of the fabric sample between the components. The release flap 6 is rectilinear in shape longitudinally resilient in width dimension and attached to a face of the base plate with hinge means 7, the hinge means is so designed that the release flap can swing freely from a position lying atop the base plate and a portion of the spring leaf and coextensive therewith to a position at least 160 open and away from the base plate and spring leaf. The face of the base plate opposite that face which carries the spring leaf and the release flap carries a non-magnetic rigid support means 8 as an integral part of the base plate. The support means holds permanent magnet component '9, one pole portion 10 of which is designed to pass freely opening 11 through the base plate. The permanent magnet component is linked to the support means by adjusting means 12, a threaded member integral the magnet component and stop nut 13,

which carries internal threads matching those of the threaded member. Threaded member 12 is movable axially in the support means.

It should be understood that thus far in its description of the sample holder the face of the base plate designated the top face is in fact the top face only during the loading of the fabric sample swatch into the holder with one end of the swatch placed beneath the spring leaf and the other end folded over the free end of the spring leaf and held down by the release flap, the release flap being in closed and locked position. At each time subsequent to the formation of the experimental crease as the sample holder is inserted into the wrinkle recovery device, the sample holder is turned over with the face of the base plate carrying the spring leaf and the release flap directed downward. Coaction of the contact means on the free end of the release flap with its counterpart contact means on the gauging device concomitant with insertion of the sample holder into the gauging device disengages the magnetic locking means by urging the free end of the release flap away from the pole end of the magnet component and this permits the release flap to swing downward and away from closed position under the influence of gravity. The unsecured end of the fabric swatch distal the experimental crease is then free. The crease can now recover. Recovery is measured over a specified time interval.

The improved sample holder which is the subject of this invention can be constructed of any of a variety of materials that exhibit the particular physical properties requisite to the individual components.

The base plate must be non-magnetic, rigid and dimensionally stable since this portion of the holder provides support for other components of the holder and provides correct positional fit of the holder within the wrinkle recovery gauging device. The housing for the magnetic members of the locking means must also be rigid, dimensionally stable and non-magnetic.

The spring leaf and the release fiap must be resilient in the longitudinal dimension since a certain amount of inherent resilient spring tension in these components will provide for the retention of the fabric sample in proper position and additionally allow the imposed weight to bear against the fabric through these members for installation of the test crease. The release flap, in addition, must be constructed of a magnetic material.

We claim:

1. A sample holder dimensionally adapted for operable insertion into separate, external, crease-recovery gauging device, said holder comprising in combination, the following integrally assembled constituent parts;

'4 plate, coextensive with the base plate over a distance at least sufficient to accept and to secure between the adjacent faces of the base plate and the spring leaf by reason of resilient spring tension of the spring leaf a portion of a fabric sample,

(1) index mark across the exposed face of the spring leaf parallel to the unattached end,

(2) index hole passing through the spring leaf at the midpoint of the index mark, said mark and said hole adapted jointly to insure accurate positioning of a portion of a fabric sample placed between the spring leaf and the base plate,

(c) magnetic release flap longitudinally resilient in width dimension, secured at one to said first width dimension face of the base plate with a rectangularly transverse hinge means said hinge means located intermediate the free end of the spring leaf and the unencumbered end of the base plate, said release flap coextensive with said base plate for a sufiicient distance so that the free end will overlap approximately one half of the spring leaf distal the leaf attachment to the base plate, said hinge means adapted to allow the release flap, in closed position, to lie flat and coincident the base plate and the spring leaf, atop and contacting the latter and in open position to swing freely in an arc of at least 160 outward and away from the base plate and spring leaf,

((1) magnetic locking means for the release flap comprising:

(1) a permanent magnet component that presents at least one exposed pole portion with an unencumbered end,

(2) non-magnetic support means for the magnet component located integral the face of the base plate opposite the release flap in a position adjacent the hinge area of the release flap and adapted to support the magnet component with exposed pole portion normal the face of the base plate, the pole portion aligned with an opening in the base plate through which the pole portion can pass freely to contact the release p,

(3) non-magnetic adjusting means cooperatively linking the magnet component and the support means and adapted to vary incrementally the spacing between the unencumbered end of the pole portion of the magnet component and the release flap, the spacing being variable between the extremes of contact and that distance at which magnetic force is no longer capable of holding the release flap closed counter to gravitational attraction,

(e) contact means located on the free end of said release flap, said contact means adapted to engage and to coact with fixed counterpart contact means located on an external wrinkle recovery gauging device, whereby lengthwise movement of the entire sample holder concomitant insertion of the sample holder, with the first width dimension face downward and with the magnetic locking means in closed magnetically locked position, into said external wrinkle re covery gauging device will effect contact and resultant coaction of the two above-recited contact means, separate the free end of the release flap from magnetic engagement with the magnetic locking means and allow the release flap to swing outward away from closed position to open position.

,- 2. A sample holder dimensionally adapted to fit operably, an external wrinkle recovery gauging device, said sample holder comprising in combination, the fololwing integrally assembled constituent parts:

(a) non-magnetic rigid rectilinear base plate (5 inches long, inch wide and inch thick);

(b) rectilinear spring leaf (2 inches long, /6 inch wide, and inch thick) longitudinally resilient in width dimension, said spring leaf located on a first width dimension face of the base plate, coextensive with the base plate and with one end attached coincident an end of the base plate, the adjacent faces of the base plate and the spring leaf biased against one another by reason of resilient spring tension of said leaf,

to coact with fixed counterpart contact means located on an external wrinkle recovery gauging device, whereby lengthwise movement of the entire sample holder concomitant insertion of the sample holder, with the first width dimension face downward and with release flap in closed, magnetically locked position, into an external wrinkle recovery gauging device will effect contact and resultant co- (1) index mark across the exposed face of the action of the two above-recited contact means, sepa spring leaf 4 inch from and parallel to the rate the free end of the release flap from magnetic unattached end, engagement with the magnetic locking means and (2) index hole inch in diameter located at the allow the release flap to swing outward away from midpoint of the index mark and passing verticalclosed position to open position. ly through the spring leaf in thickness dimen- SiOH,

(c) magnetic release flap (2 inches long, /6 inch wide and inch thick) longitudinally resilient in width References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS dimension, located on said first width dimension face 2268677 1/1942 Shearer at 73 159 of the base plate and coextensive therewith, one end 2701962 2/1955 Stou 73 '159 secured to the base plate with rectangularly trans- 2,712,755 7/1955 Meytre 73 '159 XR verse hinge means, said hinge means located at a 2860510 11/1958 pr'ess 73 1'59 point 3 inches from that end of the base plate which 219 71,739 2/1961 Klrkland 24 201 carries the attached end of the spring leaf, said hinge 3094866 6/1963 Sloan et 73-459 means adapted to allow the release flap, in closed 3,095,737 7/1963 Honefnbaugh et 73 159 position, to lie flat coincident the base plate and the 3,201,842 8/1965 Armlsteadspring leaf, atop and contacting the latter and in open position to swing freely in an arc of at least 160 outward and away from the base plate and spring leaf,

((1) contact means located on the free end of said release flap, said contact means adapted to engage and S. CLEMENT SWISHER, Primary Examiner H. C. POST III, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 2473, 248 

